7 - The "Hospitality" for Our Own

Published 26.03.2026

If we expect our teams to be decent with people, do things properly, and actually give a shit…, but we don’t give them the same behind the scenes, then we’ve missed the point. Hospitality doesn’t start with only the guests at the front door. It starts in how our own teams are spoken to, fed, trained, and respected on a good day and a bad one. If staff meals feel like leftovers and would never be seen in a Tesco's display fridge, then why are we serving it. If the changing areas are grim, and communication is sharp, we’re teaching people exactly how much they matter. And they’ll pass that straight on. Treating teams with hospitality isn’t a perk. It’s the standard. Show people what good looks like, how to get there, and how they’ll be supported and rewarded. If we’re not willing to treat our own people the way we expect them to treat our guests, then we’re getting it wrong. Hospitality isn’t a performance. It’s a culture. And culture always shows itself in how we look after our own first.

So here’s your challenge.

 - Walk your business like a guest, but through the staff door.

 - Eat the meal.

 - Use the space.

 - Listen when service gets tight.

Then ask yourself one question. Would I be proud to serve guests the way we treat our own people?

If it’s not a overwhelming yes, don’t hang another "Keep Calm…" poster in the dirty staff room.

Fix one thing - Upgrade the meal. Then another - Clean the space. Give your team clarity. Say thank you and mean it. Then ask your team where they would like to see improvements, and have the discipline to shut up and listen.

Because culture doesn’t change from posters. It changes when leaders move.

Your move.